Examining Miami's depth at positions with outgoing spring transfers

Miami lost defensive tackle Joshua Horton and safety Zaquan Patterson earlier this week and will reportedly lose edge rusher Elias Rudolph and wide receiver Ny Carr to the spring transfer portal. Miami has a deep group of edge rushers to absorb Rudolph entering the transfer portal.

Expect Mario Cristobal and his staff to target DT, safety and WR in the spring transfer portal that officially opened on Wednesday. Miami was already likely targeting DT, safety and WR this spring. Miami is extremely young at all three of those positions entering the 2025 season.

Horton and Patterson were likely to be a part of the 2025 rotation for Miami. Patterson was considered a favorite to be a starting safety next to Jacksonville State sophomore transfer Zechariah Poyser. Horton was projected as the fourth DT behind Louisiana Tech transfer David Blay, rising sophomore Justin Scott and redshirt junior Ahmad Moten.

Carr was projected to compete with Daylyn Upshaw behind JoJo Trader, who had an impressive spring and is expected to start for Miami at WR in 2025. Even before Carr entered the transfer portal, Miami was expected to add one or two experienced transfer WRs with a proven history of production.

Miami reportedly already contacted Syracuse transfer WR Trebor Pena after he entered the portal this week. Pena is a slot receiver. Miami previously added LSU transfer WR C.J. Daniels. Daniels is the only experienced WR currently on the Miami roster.

Edge rusher is arguably the deepest position on the 2025 Miami roster. Miami returns multi-year starters Rueben Bain and Akeheem Mesidor at edge rusher and both can move inside. Five-star 2025 signees Armondo Blount and Marquis Lightfoot project in the rotation and Cole McConathy and Booker Pickett Jr. add depth.

Losing Patterson to the transfer portal is the biggest blow of the four early entrants this spring. Miami is very high on Posyer, but there is a lot of uncertainty besides the 2024 freshman All-American. With Patterson transferring, Markeith Williams and Dylan Day are the likely frontrunners to compete to be the other starting safety for Miami.

Four-star freshmen Bryce Fitzgerald and Amari Wallace could be Miami players to watch at safety during August training camp. The expectation should be that Miami will target one or two safeties in the spring transfer portal. The spring transfer portal is open for players to enter from April 16-25.